Faye 3D Model + Rig

For this project, my goal was to gain a greater understanding of the 3D character modeling and rigging pipeline for games. I wanted to focus especially on proper convention and optimization in each step of the pipeline and create a game-ready rig in a semi-realistic style, similar to character models in games like Overwatch or Valorant.

I started with several concept sketches for my character, during which I worked out proportions, volume, and determining how many mesh pieces I was expecting to create, as well as the overall aesthetics of the character.
After these were complete, I subdivision-modeled a low poly mesh in Maya, focusing on maintaining proper edge flow and polygon density. I found that my biggest challenges were manually constructing face details using extrusion and manually inserting edge loops; I also struggled a bit to determine what details to express in the low-poly and what details to save for the high-poly, such as hair pieces and clothes folds.
After completing the low-poly model, I manually UV unwrapped in Maya and then exported the model to Zbrush, where I began the high-poly sculpt. This process was fairly straightforward, though there were instances where I altered the low-poly too drastically for the changes to project properly onto the low-poly during the baking process - I realized in the future these changes should be made to the low-poly directly.
I baked the finished sculpt onto the low-poly model in Substance Painter and began painting textures. I ran into an issue where I wanted to include a transparent jewel as well as an opacity gradient in the hair but couldn't figure out how to activate the opacity channel for export as well as map it when importing the texture maps into Maya.
It was after I re-imported the model into Maya and applied the textures did I realize some issues I had.
Weight-painting bead necklace; weight-painting clothes to match body deformations
UV seams on shoulders, trying to soften normals before realizing
Missing teeth/tongue, painting makeup on eyes